araradude made other comments on this post:

That’s the point… If Square Enix wants a second chance at the JRPG market, they need to do to their stories what they have done with BDFF’s system, which is to take a leaf from their earlier works, and improve from there.

It will pick up over the next few episodes when it switches to Kirito’s adventures in GGO, and then slows down back to the current pace with Sinon’s emo-ing halfway through the BOB tournament. After which it will pick up again towards the climax.